Decorative string lights are typically used for seasonal displays, such as Christmas, for limited time (typically less than 60 days). The balance of the year they are they are kept in storage. Since most of the year they are in storage, it is important to have efficient storage method with a minimum wasted space. The storage factor has become more important as the actual or effective cost of storage has increased and/or the availability of storage in homes may have decreased.
Due to length and characteristics string lights can become tangled when not stored properly, which can lead to damage. Storing in an orderly manner that minimizes or eliminates the potential for becoming tangled is preferred. With the conversion to LED type string lights, which are currently more expensive than incandescent lights, preventing damage has an increased importance.
Since string lights are seasonal this means that once a year they are taken out of storage and placed back in storage, so while the process of taking out of storage and putting in storage in needs to be effective it does not have to be the primary characteristic of the storage device. For large quantities of string lights, a uniform and cost effect method of storage is desirable